# MandarinPlus vs Pinyin Reader

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pinyin Reader at every 2 weeks against MandarinPlus's every 4 months. MandarinPlus's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

MandarinPlus ships an update every 4 months, Pinyin Reader every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MandarinPlus | Pinyin Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinyin-reader/id6759076586/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 116 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Foundation for Scholarly Exchange](https://appshunter.io/developer/1776961300) | [粤珠 袁](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875136461) |

## What reviewers say

### MandarinPlus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandarinplus/id6737529690)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pinyin Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinyin-reader/id6759076586)

This reading tool automatically adds pinyin annotations to Chinese characters on web pages and PDFs. It offers translation, text-to-speech playback, and pronunciation practice to enhance learning efficiency and pronunciation skills.

**Highlights:** Automatic pinyin annotations, Integrated web and PDF reader, Character definition and pronunciation lookup, Sentence-by-sentence text-to-speech, Pronunciation assessment and shadowing practice, Vocabulary and sentence saving, Ad-free reading experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MandarinPlus free?

MandarinPlus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pinyin Reader free?

Pinyin Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do MandarinPlus or Pinyin Reader have ads?

Neither MandarinPlus nor Pinyin Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MandarinPlus or Pinyin Reader?

MandarinPlus ships an update every 4 months, and Pinyin Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, MandarinPlus was updated on September 20, 2026 and Pinyin Reader on October 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*